Kauai councilman’s meth ring trial postponed to next year
HONOLULU — A U.S. judge on Wednesday postponed trial for 12 people accused of drug trafficking in Hawaii, over the objections of a councilman accused of leading the ring.
Trial was originally scheduled for October for Arthur Brun, an elected member of the Kauai County Council, and 11 co-defendants. Prosecutors say Brun supplied guns, conspired with a gang leader, requested sexual favors as payment for drugs and assaulted a law enforcement officer.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Wes Reber Porter said the trial needs to be postponed partly because of constraints on jury trials during the coronavirus pandemic and because federal prosecutors are asking that the case be declared complex.
He tentatively set a new date for Feb. 1.
Brun has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Rustam Barbee, said Brun opposes postponement because he’s being held in the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.
The other defendants didn’t oppose postponing the trial.
Inmate arrested for allegedly killing man inside Oahu jail
HONOLULU — Authorities in Hawaii arrested a man on charges he killed a fellow inmate inside an Oahu jail in the second violent death in a Hawaii correctional facility within weeks.
Police arrested 27-year-old Ezequiel Zayas on suspicion of first-degree murder after he allegedly assaulted another inmate at the Oahu Community Correctional Center in Kalihi around 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Authorities said 62-year-old Vance Grace was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before midnight.
The Honolulu Police Department and the state Department of Public Safety are investigating the death.
In a separate incident last month, Police arrested a 25-year-old male inmate on suspicion of first-degree murder following an assault at the Halawa Correctional Facility, which is also located on Oahu.
A 70-year-old inmate suffered head injuries in the Aug. 19 assault. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, authorities said.
The identities of the two men involved were not reported.
